The primary data used for this book are 52 in-depth interviews carried out by the author with Dutch government officials, politicians, trade union representatives, employers’ organisation representatives and representatives of consultative bodies representing the social partners and/or the government and collective bargaining negotiators. The Dutch Labour Foundation (Stichting van de Arbeid), created in 1945, is the main consultative body for the social partners in the Netherlands and represents both trade unions and employers. Three trade union confederations and three employers’ organisations are members of the Labour Foundation. The latter include the largest employers’ organisation in the Netherlands, VNO-NCW (Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers), representative of 180 associations; the Royal Dutch Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MKB Nederland) and the Dutch Federation of Agricultural and Horticultural Organisations (LTO Nederland). Trade unions are represented by the peak trade union confederation FNV (the Netherlands Trade Union confederation) representative of 16 unions; the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands (CNV) and the Trade Union Federation for Intermediate and Higher Employees (Unie MHP).

Organised interests meet twice annually within the Labour Foundation, creating centralised policy recommendations for upcoming collective bargaining rounds. The other important consultative body is the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (Sociaal Economische Raad, SER). Created five years after the Labour Foundation in 1950, the SER provides a means of concertation among its members, including not only the social partners but a number of core members from various professional fields as well (so-called ‘crown members’, or kroonleden). The SER is principally an advisory council to the Dutch government across a number of social and economic issues.

These interviews were carried out between February and September of 2009. All interviews were recorded and typed out in full. The interview transcripts were then coded and analysed using the qualitative software program AtlasTi. Information about the names and precise positions held by respondents remains anonymous and confidential. A list of the interviews, using anonymous titles, and interview numbers is listed below.

Supplementary data

The interview data have been compared and assessed in relation to numerous policy documents using extensive document analysis.